Conference 7.286::space

680.0. "NASA awards commercial middeck augmentation module contract" by PRAGMA::GRIFFIN (Dave Griffin) Wed Dec 05 1990 09:18

From: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Date: 4 Dec 90 23:47:32 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

Barbara Selby
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                   December 3, 1990
(Phone:  703/557-5609)
 
Billie Deason
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone:  713/483-5111)
 
RELEASE:  90-157
 
NASA AWARDS COMMERCIAL MIDDECK AUGMENTATION MODULE CONTRACT
 
     NASA has awarded a contract to SPACEHAB, Inc., Washington, 
D.C., to provide the services of a commercial middeck 
augmentation module (CMAN).
 
     The firm-fixed-price contract covers a 5-year period, 
November 1990 through December 1995.  The total amount of the 
negotiated contract is $184,236,000.  At the time of contract 
award, NASA will fund $7,959,000. 
 
     The first SPACEHAB module is slated for flight aboard the 
Space Shuttle in December 1992.  The leased module will ride in 
the payload bay when carried, be accessible through the air lock 
and add the volume equivalent of about 50 middeck lockers to the 
orbiters' capacity.  

     Under the contract, SPACEHAB will provide for the physical 
and operational integration of the module and the experiments, 
power, cooling, data management and crew training spread over six 
flights which will occur at intervals of about 6 months.
 
     In support of private sector research initiatives, NASA is 
leasing two-thirds of the available module volume, over a six-
flight profile.  This volume will be used for flight research 
opportunities for NASA's Centers for the Commercial Development 
of Space and for Joint Endeavor Agreements.  SPACEHAB will market 
to commercial users the remaining one-third of the module space.
 
     The SPACEHAB lease will be managed by the CMAM Project 
Office in the New Initiatives Office at Johnson Space Center, 
Houston, on behalf of the NASA Headquarters Office of Commercial 
Programs.  SPACEHAB submitted the only proposal received in 
response to NASA's request for proposals.